The Changing Face of Menswear

This is a recording of a live event, recorded on Wednesday  7 October 2026.

With Robert Ossant

In this richly illustrated talk, fashion historian and author Robert Ossant explored the changing face of menswear and the long history of male flamboyance. Looking at military influence, decoration and tailoring, the talk traced how menswear has moved between extravagance and restraint across the centuries.

From the splendour of the eighteenth-century court to military uniforms, the sober tailoring of the nineteenth century and the increasingly adventurous menswear of today, the way men dress has always reflected economic status, evolving masculinity and the projection of power.

Historical examples sat alongside the work of contemporary designers who are once again challenging conventions of male dress. Embroidery and embellishment formed part of the story, but the talk took a broader look at how designers have used colour, silhouette, surface and spectacle to rethink what it means to dress as a man.

Robert Ossant is a fashion historian, author and writer specialising in couture, craftsmanship and the history of dress. His work has appeared in Vogue, The Independent and Marie Claire, and he is co-